Blood glucose measurement systems typically comprise an analyte meter that is configured to receive a biosensor, usually in the form of a test strip. Because many of these systems are portable, and testing can be completed in a short amount of time, patients are able to use such devices in the normal course of their daily lives without significant interruption to their personal routines. A person with diabetes may measure their blood glucose levels several times a day as a part of a self management process to ensure glycemic control of their blood glucose within a target range. A failure to maintain target glycemic control can result in serious diabetes-related complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and blindness.
There currently exist a number of available portable electronic analyte measurement devices that are designed to automatically activate upon insertion of a test strip. Electrical contacts, or prongs, in the meter establish connections with contact pads on the test strip while a microcontroller in the meter determines, based on electrical signals from the test strip, whether the test strip is properly inserted. This activation typically powers the entire device, including analog components, in preparation for receiving a sample applied to the test strip from the user. The analog circuit components consume power while waiting for a sample to be applied by a user, which may take several minutes. During this waiting time the battery lifetime is shortened unnecessarily. Occasionally, users may decide not to provide a sample at all and may remove the test strip after some time, which again needlessly consumes battery power. Because analog circuits typically consume significantly more power than digital based circuits, it would be advantageous to detect the application of a sample in a test strip using a digital circuit and to delay powering on the analog circuit components until the sample is applied.